8 Steps to Starting a Garden

Gardening

posted in:

April 8, 2016

It’s time to start thinking about those outdoor spaces! The weather is definitely warming up here in Washington and I have been spending lots more of my time outside enjoying the sun. In fact, this post is being written outside. Hooray for laptops that let you blog in the sun!

So maybe you had no interest to garden in the past but the bug has suddenly bitten you or you just moved to a space with some land to allow you to garden for the first time and you are wondering how the heck to grow some gorgeous flowers yourself. Maybe you even just want to grow a couple cut flowers only for the reason of cutting them to bring indoors. These are the simple steps to let you enjoy a garden of your very own.

Dream

What kind of space are you dreaming of? A place that you can unwind and have some drinks with friends, a space to cut your own flowers or harvest your own veggies from or just your own little oasis. Whatever it may be, its best to have a specific direction you want to go in and end goal in mind.

Browse Pinterest and look through magazines. If you are really into making your dream space, make a mood board to keep you on track. Make sure everything you buy is in line with this board to make sure that everything goes to together when it is finally finished.

Plan

Farmers and serious gardeners have been planning this seasons garden since the end of last season. They spend all winter looking through seed catalogs and drawing up plans for their own spaces. You might not have been doing that all winter but it is not too late to start now. Plan where your garden will go. It might be obvious and it might not be. Think about the sun and what part of your yard it hits the longest, that might be the best option. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, maybe some grass needs to be removed…

Research

This step will save you lots of headache and sadness in the future. You need to research what plants will grow the best in your area. You might love Camellia bushes but find out that they don’t grow well where you live. I love Bougainvillea, but they don’t grow well in Washington. They can’t survive our winters, so I save myself the heartache and don’t plant it. If you want hydrangeas and rose bushes, do a little research before you put them in the ground. Make sure you know the growing the conditions off all the plants you want. Everything has different needs; how much sun it likes, water needs, do you need to feed it often?

Its best to know what you are getting into before you plant anything.

Prep the Spot

Before you buy any plants, make sure the spot you chose is ready for new plants. Weed the area, till the ground and prune any existing plants you may have growing there.

I know weeding can be the worst part of this project, read this post for ways to make it just a little more enjoyable.

Buy Plants

The best part! Now that you have a clear picture in mind, you know what you are looking for and the spot is all cleared, it’s time to buy those plants. There are going to be so many options for you to choose from, it might seem overwhelming. Don’t go for the prettiest ones, read the tag and make sure the plant can grow where you want to put it.

Plant

Yep, you guessed it. You bought the plants and now you have to plant them! Dig large holes, not just big enough for the roots to fit, but all around the new guy as well. And water, water, water. Water deep.

Water

Did I say water? Yes, water those babies. Not just the surface of the ground, but stand there for a few to make sure the water goes deep down to the roots.

And keep watering. Depending on where you live and what plants you got, you might have to water everyday or once a week. If you’re not sure when, stick your finger into the ground and if its dry, that’s a good indicator that the plant needs water.